Sign of Sickness - Collecting Amenity Kits
Feb 14, 2007, 2:07 pm
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
For what its worth, in my experience those soft drinks are paid for whether they're consumed or not. Take what you want.
Feb 14, 2007, 2:14 pm
#92
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
I think this "illness" - as this thread - reaches far further UA ... please follow it in Travel Buzz.
l'etoile
UA mod, who worked through this issue and can now leave (most) amenity kits behind ...PJs are another story ...
l'etoile
UA mod, who worked through this issue and can now leave (most) amenity kits behind ...PJs are another story ...
Feb 14, 2007, 2:29 pm
#93
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Silver, National Executive Elite
Posts: 141
I like 'em both. I use the nice old zippered ones for small camera accessories (filters, cable releases) and the new draw string ones for fly fishing stuff (reels, leader spools, etc.) Ms. Badger2 stuffs all the toilet items I bring back into drawers in our guest bathroom for the occasional visitor who comes by. Who's worse, me who keeps bringing the stuff home or her who keeps hoarding it for infrequent guest use? We could stock a good sized motel!
Feb 14, 2007, 2:45 pm
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Kommissar Giga-Posting Direktor, PWP; Fasano Nouveau Aristocrat; CO Platinum; BD Gold; MR Gold
Posts: 18,733
Here's a post I made in a recent CO forum thread that you might find amusing:
Originally Posted by CO 1E
I can't say I've ever picked my seat based on potential amenity kit availability, but I do size up the passengers around me and try to determine the likelihood that they will leave their amenity kits unopened. The more experienced or more frequent a flyer is, the more likely he or she will leave his or her amenity kit onboard. For example, last week, my BF seatmate told me that he has been flying LGW-IAH once per week(!) for the last several months. I knew immediately that he would leave his amenity kit untouched; sure enough, at the end of the flight, he left it in the seatback pocket in front of him, clothed in its glorious celophane wrapper. I waited until he was headed down the aisle to exit the aircraft, then snagged it like a vulture.
The passenger accross the aisle from me on that flight looked like a prime amenity kit-leaver: slightly overweight, middle-aged, and very business-like. Surely, this individual was a frequent BF customer. I kept an eye on his movements throughout the entire flight. Things were shaping up nicely; the kit remained unviolated for most of the flight, placed neatly in the seatback pocket in front of his seat. Much to my chagrin, however, he violated the sanctity of the kit around hour nine, when he unwrapped the plastic and removed the toothbrush and toothpaste.
On the outbound segment, I had the good fortune of sitting next to and accross from two amenity kit-leavers. I was able to discard my own opened amenity kit (I used the earplugs and eyeshades) and walk off the aircraft with two fresh, unopened kits.
As I write this, LF, I realize that the best place to sit on a 777 if seeking to snag left kits is in rows 1 or 2. If seated in either of these rows, you can hang back at your seat while everyone else in the forward BF cabin rushes to the door. Then, as everyone else is clustered around door 2L waiting to deplane, you can take your time and spot any unopened kits you may have missed during your inflight assessment of potential kit-leavers.
Back when VS had the Oswald Boatang amenity kits, I would make it a point to buddy-up with an FA in order to obtain an additional kit or two. As long as Upper Class wasn't full, I had great success. Unfortunately, VS has reduced its amenity "kit" to a pathetic paper envelope with eyeshades, earplugs, and some other useless garbage. Such a shame . . . .
Also, do you remember the old CO J amenity kits? They were cylindrical and had the CO globe symbol emblazoned on the side.
The passenger accross the aisle from me on that flight looked like a prime amenity kit-leaver: slightly overweight, middle-aged, and very business-like. Surely, this individual was a frequent BF customer. I kept an eye on his movements throughout the entire flight. Things were shaping up nicely; the kit remained unviolated for most of the flight, placed neatly in the seatback pocket in front of his seat. Much to my chagrin, however, he violated the sanctity of the kit around hour nine, when he unwrapped the plastic and removed the toothbrush and toothpaste.
On the outbound segment, I had the good fortune of sitting next to and accross from two amenity kit-leavers. I was able to discard my own opened amenity kit (I used the earplugs and eyeshades) and walk off the aircraft with two fresh, unopened kits.
As I write this, LF, I realize that the best place to sit on a 777 if seeking to snag left kits is in rows 1 or 2. If seated in either of these rows, you can hang back at your seat while everyone else in the forward BF cabin rushes to the door. Then, as everyone else is clustered around door 2L waiting to deplane, you can take your time and spot any unopened kits you may have missed during your inflight assessment of potential kit-leavers.
Back when VS had the Oswald Boatang amenity kits, I would make it a point to buddy-up with an FA in order to obtain an additional kit or two. As long as Upper Class wasn't full, I had great success. Unfortunately, VS has reduced its amenity "kit" to a pathetic paper envelope with eyeshades, earplugs, and some other useless garbage. Such a shame . . . .
Also, do you remember the old CO J amenity kits? They were cylindrical and had the CO globe symbol emblazoned on the side.
Feb 14, 2007, 2:56 pm
#95
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Programs: UA, AA, WN; HH, MR, IHG
Posts: 7,054
So seriously, for all of you folks who think UA needs all the profits it can get to stay out of bankruptcy, etc... you don't think that leaving your unused, unopened, unneeded amenity kits will help UA (and every other airline) save money? An amenity kit must cost more than a few bags of pretzels, so perhaps if more people didn't take amenity kits they didn't need, UA could bring back pretzels on short-haul flights because they'd save money not having to replace all those amenity kits...
Granted, donating the unused kits to shelters and other needy places is a great idea - I'm very glad many of you do that. One just has to wonder if ticket prices wouldn't be just a tad lower, or perhaps more of the "small" amenities (pretzels, etc.) would still be there or come back, if airlines didn't have to replace as many amenity kits that people didn't really want but felt compelled to take...
Not criticizing, just seriously wondering.
(Then again, perhaps it is a bit over the top to take more than the one amenity kit to which you are entitled, if you know you are just going to store it in a box... you definitely earned one with your C/F ticket, but I'm not sure about asking for more or taking other pax's unused ones...)
Granted, donating the unused kits to shelters and other needy places is a great idea - I'm very glad many of you do that. One just has to wonder if ticket prices wouldn't be just a tad lower, or perhaps more of the "small" amenities (pretzels, etc.) would still be there or come back, if airlines didn't have to replace as many amenity kits that people didn't really want but felt compelled to take...
Not criticizing, just seriously wondering.
(Then again, perhaps it is a bit over the top to take more than the one amenity kit to which you are entitled, if you know you are just going to store it in a box... you definitely earned one with your C/F ticket, but I'm not sure about asking for more or taking other pax's unused ones...)
Feb 14, 2007, 3:06 pm
#96
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SDF
Programs: DL DM (1.1MM), MR TEL, HH DL, Avis P+ National Ex+, blah blah blah
Posts: 1,033
Kids love them
My kids (10 & 6) love the amenity kits that I bring them. They stuff little toys in the zip-bag, use the eye-shades for naps. They like the microscopic size tube of toothpaste. They think the stuff is so cool. ^ 
Feb 14, 2007, 4:11 pm
#97
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: AA Exec Plat, United Plat
Posts: 451
A friend in a position to know 
says that the airline he works with does not reuse the kits, even if they appear to be unopened. Cleaning crews take them, or they get thrown in the trash.
Unlikely you're going to save the airline much money by leaving unused amenity kits
says that the airline he works with does not reuse the kits, even if they appear to be unopened. Cleaning crews take them, or they get thrown in the trash. Unlikely you're going to save the airline much money by leaving unused amenity kits
Feb 14, 2007, 4:56 pm
#98
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,753
(She was nice enough to offer to send me one)We just got the new SQ Ferragamo kit two days ago. It is the finest amenity kit I've ever received. It is actually more a product gift of Ferragamo fragrance, body lotion and hand lotion, rather than an inflight amenity kit. (The men's kit additionally includes a razor and shave cream.) SQ has an assortment of toothbrushes and combs in the bathroom.
Last edited by SanDiego1K; Feb 14, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Feb 14, 2007, 5:04 pm
#99
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: OW/AA, DL, UA; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,936
I "stockpile" them, but to give them away. They seem to make really nice, appreciated gifts to friends about to go on long trips, people who don't travel often, etc. I also donate a bunch to a couple of local shelters---came in handy with the storms we've had here with tons of people being w/o electricity, etc.
I miss the old AA ones with the zippers--great for storing adapters, cables, etc. I hated the AA black ones with the snaps--useless.
I miss the old AA ones with the zippers--great for storing adapters, cables, etc. I hated the AA black ones with the snaps--useless.
Feb 15, 2007, 3:33 pm
#103
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BRU
Programs: LH SEN, SN Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche, BA, QF, AF
Posts: 6,856
Feb 15, 2007, 3:57 pm
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
I can look back at travel memories of the last 30 or so years of my life based on my collection of fine amenity kits. I have AA and BA ones in fine leather and ones from other airlines of days gone past. Unfortunately from a collector's point of view, I ruined most of them by not only using the contents, but using the containers for other purposes.
I have one with no apparent airline logo that is a blue and gold swirl pattern, with a water proof lining and good quality zipper. Anyone recall one of these?
I have one with no apparent airline logo that is a blue and gold swirl pattern, with a water proof lining and good quality zipper. Anyone recall one of these?
Feb 15, 2007, 8:00 pm
#105
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia (from time to time)
Programs: QF-LTS & P, SQ-TPPS, IC-RA, HH-D, *wood G, Others
Posts: 1,729
Add me to the list! I have made friends and influenced a lot of people by finally clreaing out the hall cupboard (literally) of amenity kits and other bits and pieces spanning 10 years or so. I still collect but mostly pass on amentity kits and either use or share the sleeper suits.
Latest in the collection are the new Ferragamo kits in F from SQ.
Latest in the collection are the new Ferragamo kits in F from SQ.